Poles Apart

Chapter Fifty-Two

"Period cramps," is my only explanation.

Arjun's lips open into a big 'oh'. "Did you take something to reduce the pain?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Painkillers aren't good."

Arjun shoots me down with disapproval. "You're lying on the floor, in pain. And that's all you have to say? Painkillers aren't good?"

"Well, they aren't!" I defend myself. "Doctors don't recommend painkillers for period cramps!"

"But you're in pain," he says, his voice full of concern.

I don't know if I should laugh at him or not.

"It happens every month, Arjun. I'm not dying." Though it does feel a lot like I am.

"Should I tell my mother to give you something to relieve the pain? Something that's not a painkiller?"

"I can ask her myself, you know?"

"Well then, why didn't you, Ms Smartypants?" Arjun asks sarcastically.

I bite the inside of my cheek, wondering how to explain it to him. "I don't want to make a big fuss of it..." I trail off.

"Arvi." The disapproval in Arjun's tone is clear.

"And your aunt's also downstairs, with Athayya. She's always something or the other about me, I don't have the patience to listen to her judgements about me now." I cringe as soon as I let out the words. Jhansi Aunty is only jealous and insecure. I shouldn't care what she says, and most of all, I don't have to put that in Arjun's head.

But the last time she came, she had a lot of problems with what I wear. "Do you only wear designer clothes, Arvi?" she mocked. "Why aren't you eating? Afraid you'll gain weight?" followed by those cackling sounds, and then, "don't worry, Arjun won't mind even if you gain weight, I'm sure."

Well, regardless of what Arjun might think, I only eat as much as I want to, on any day.

"Jhansi Atha's not like that," Arjun tries to defend weakly.

"I said aunt and you quickly connected it to your Jhansi Atha. You have two aunts, remember? Plus, it's so obvious your Jhansi Atha hates me. You must think I'm stupid or something."

"She doesn't hate you," Arjun attempts at dissuading me.

"Oh? Is she just generally like that?" I ask him sarcastically.

Arjun braves a sheepish smile. "I can think of two answers to this question, and they're both portraying her in negative light."

"I don't want to say it, baby, but I'm going to, anyway. It's probably because she's like that."

"You're very truthful around this time of the month, huh?" Arjun asks, and I can see him lying down on a white bed himself.

"Well, unlike you, I'm always honest, baby."

"I really, really don't know how to feel about this," Arjun says. "You're saying very blunt things and calling me baby. Is this a tactic or something?"

I chuckle but have to immediately hold my stomach. Aw, fuck. Composing myself, I grin at my husband. "Feel the love, Junnu."

Arjun cringes, and I nearly laugh again, but the laughter is killed in my throat by memories of gruesome pain.

"How did your meeting go today?" I ask him.

Arjun's face is overtaken by a serious look reserved for business talks, but a glint of achievement shines through his eyes. "I think it's going to go through this time."